Gotta Go Fast

Looking through a window, Julian looked perplexed as a carriage parked before the manor.

And as Rem and Ram welcomed Felix and Whilhem who came out of it, he became even more so.

Subaru wasn't in this timelime anymore, so these two didn't have a reason to come here just before the ceremony anymore.

Bemused and curious, he decided to go to the bottom of it. As such, barely an instant later, he exited the manor and advanced toward the gathering. The two guests turning toward him.

Wilhelm gazed at him stoically, a glint of warriness in his eyes. As for Felix, his eyes opened widely, and after waving off the two maids, he bounded toward him.

As he came close, maybe a bit too close even, his nose twitched multiple times.

"You smell pretty good, Nya~" Giving him a flirty smile, he began to go around him, giving several nods of approval to himself while he inspected him. Then, his gaze coming to rest on his magical prostethic left arm, he stopped.

"You're Julian-Kyun, right? Lady Emilia made a deal with my own to have me take look at you, and potentially teach you. Though for that, you'll have to make a deal personally with my Lady."

"Oh, right!" Curtsying, he smiled cattily. "I'm Felix Argyle, best healer in Lugnica and probably the world. And knight of Lady Crusch Karsten, pleased to meet you."

Mentally checking the box that yes, Felix was still a boy. He lifted an eyebrow. "Just Julian, and I'm Lady Emilia's self proclaimed knight."

Turning toward the tow sister, he said. "I wasn't made aware of this dealing."

"Why would you? Lady Emilia is free to do deals as she wish, moreso if it concern her own knight, no?" Ram asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Scratching his head, he shrugged. What she said true, he wasn't Emilia's dad. She was her own person, and she had her own choices to make. Though there was an issue that was still very relevant. "As long as what she give away isn't too important."

He turned back toward Felix and smiled. "Heard that? You better not rip her off."

"Nya ha ha. Or what?" The catboy leaned forward and asked mischeviously.

"Or I'll seduce your lady and put your camp under Emilia's."

Felix opened his mouth, look at him from top to bottom, and closed it. He then went toward the manor, chuckling nervously to himself.

—————

As Ram and Rem followed Felix after throwing a look at him, Julian stayed behind. Casting his attention on the older gentleman, he spoke. "I don't think we've been introduced?"

"Forgive my old self, I was merely reminded of my younger days upon witnessing your... verbal spar with Sir Felix. I am Wilhelm Van Astrea, servant of Lady Crusch, head of house Karsten. And who might you be, exactly?"

"That's quite alright. As for who I am, I could present myself again. But that's not exactly what you're asking for, right?"

Wilhem nodded slightly, his eyes pool of still water, full of quiet intensity. "Indeed, I have seen number of people in my life. Hardened warriors, powerful mages, twisted and insidious killers. Your posture is unmistakable, it is spring and purposeful, hinting at a mastery of your own body. Yet, your eyes hint at something more, even while being clouded by something. You are part of Emilia-Sama' camp, yes? I surely would have heard of someone like you before. Yet I have not."

Julian crossed his arms. "I'm not from here, in fact, I'm from beyond the waterfall. So it's natural."

The older man lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, pray tell if it's not too much to ask. Why are you here, in these lands?"

"Power, knowledge, allies, friends maybe. But mostly, I'm here to right something stupid I did in my past. And you? Why are you here?" Julian answered before asking.

"There is something out there this old man need to kill, and let's leave it at that."

Julian hummed, did just that and left it at that, turning toward the manor afterward. He wondered if he should just go ahead and turn this world on its head now that he had signifiant power. But in the end, he decided to wait until the selection.

Now that would be fun.

—————

"What do you mean, you don't want me to come in?"

Emilia nodded. "Well, you could come in. But I'd prefer if you stay out there." Bringing up a finger, she explained. "People don't know you, you're an unknown. And it's better if it stay that way as long as possible. If you come in with me, they'll ask questions."

Julian looked around at the busy streets, before shrugging. "That's a good enough reason for me. Not that'll change much of anything though."

The half-elf pluckered her lips. "If we want to win, better to put all the cards we can on our side, no?"

About to say it wouldn't matter if one your card is unbeatable, he decided to smile instead and confirm. "You're right."

Smiling slightly at him, she turned away and went toward the building a bit farther ahead.

Turning to face the streets, Julian thought himself lucky he had left the manor in casual clothes today.

Well, as casual as you could consider a clean black silken t-shirt tucked into beige pants in this world.

He looked a bit too modern in his fashion sense, but he thought it looked good so he didn't care. And from the looks of the looks of the passerby, it did. He could even hear a troupe of young noble discretly discussing about his attire from across the street. Maybe he'd spark a new trend a couple centuries in advance of its time?

As he was thinking nonsensible things, something caught his attention. A frankly eye catching girl a bit farther ahead on the other side of the street entered an alley, and was quickly followed by three goons.

Suddenly remembering this scene from the show, and having nothing better to do. A smirk developped on his face as he quickly walked toward the alley.

Who know, surely Priscilla could show him a thing or two about the sin of pride?

—————

Turning the corner, he saw the three thugs encircling the golden-red haired girl.

"Hey there, pretty lady. Give us all you have on yourself and we'll not be too rough with ya."

Before anyone could do amything, Julian announced his presence. "Gentlemen, what do you think about leaving the lady alone and exiting the alley quietly?"

"Eh!? Who do you think you are, punk? Let me tell ya, you don't wanna play hero." The leader threw a look over his shoulder and not so subtly showed the knife at his waist.

Shrugging, Julian answered. "I'm not here to save her, but you guys. Anyway, consider yourself warned."

Priscilla, who had her fan before her mouth. Suddenly closed it. "Oh? It seems someone here has the eyes to recognise greatness when they see it. A quality so rare in commoners these days."

Chuckling, Julian toyed with the knife who had suddenly appeared in his hands. "Commoner? I don't think I qualify for that term, no matter your reasoning."

Priscilla eyes briefly flitted to the missing knife at the waist of the leading thug and lifted her chin, putting a hand on her waist. "Compared to me, everyone are commoners."

The lanky thug took a second to process he was being ignored and another to realise it was his weapon in Julian's hand, suddenly much more meek, he protested, pointing at it. "He-hey, that's mine."

"Yes, it is." Putting the knife between his two hands, he pressed against it, the point of the blade directly on one of his his palm. With a drawned out crushing and shattering sound, his two hands touched each other. Holding one out, he showed the dagger who's blade was nothing but dust anymore, with the pommel being an unrecognisable perfect round lump of metal.

He blowed on his palm toward the dug, and in a cloud of little twinkling stars, nothing remained of the dagger but a round lump.

Throwing it at the feet of the three thieves, he grunted. "Go away, you're becoming a bother."

Gulping, the boss managed to squeak out. "Of course." And then they ran. Longing the wall to stay as far as possible from him.

As only Julian and Priscilla remained in the alley, she raised an eyebrow. "This was unnecessary, but entertaining nonetheless... I've decided." She pointed at him with him with her closed fan, her head lifted imperiously. "You are to work for me from now on."

He chuckled. "And if I refuse?"

"Why would anyone do such a thing? For those who swear fealty to me, uncountable riches, power, and the world will inevitably be theirs. And that's not even speaking of how blessed they are to serve me, who the world itself obey."

He leaned against a wall and scratched his chin. "And what If I need none of those things?"

She opened her fan and covered her face with it, leaving only her burning red eyes to consider him. "Everyone has something they need, or something wish for, and with time, I can grant everything."

Seemingly considering it, he tapped his chin a few times. "Everything?"

She didn't bother to answer. Merely squinting at him.

He smirked. "What if what I wished for... Was you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Boring, maybe I misjudged you in the end. You're not that interesting."

"So you can't grant everything as you said. How disapointing." He shook his head, smirking.

"Know your place, which is the same as everybody else. Beneath me."

"You know, for someone who look pretty invested in finding things of interest. You're pretty predictable. As I just demonstrated, you find predictable things boring. Doesn't that mean you're boring yourself?" Julian drawled.

Priscilla froze, and her eyebrow twicthed. "Predictable?.. Boring?.."

She closed her fan with a snap. And in her hand, materialized a red sword. "What is your name?"

"Julian Håberjorgen." Uncaring, he answered, still leaning against the wall.

"Julian Håberjorgen, there are certain lines that shouldn't be crossed. It is not often that someone makes me so angry with simple words. It unnerve me, it is a new feeling. I have underestimated your worth. I left you a choice before, but now that choice is gone, from now on, you belong to me, and you will entertain me when I tell you to."

A vicious smile grew on her face as she lifted her sword toward him. "Now that this is out of the way... servants who make their liege angry needed to be punished."

Julian pushed himself away from the wall faced Priscilla, a smirk on his face. "Does that mean that now that I'm under you, you will give me what I wish for?"

She laughed haughtily, and her smile widened. "Tenacious, aren't we? Very well, if you can bring me the crown of Lugnica, the Empire of Vollachia and the holy kingdom of Gutseko as well as the heart of the Divine Dragon, and take ten strikes fron my Yang Sword unscated before the end of the day, I will offer you my hand. Now, let's start, shall we?"

Julian began to chuckle, before it gave out to a full blown laugh of hilarity. "You will come to regret your lack of information about me and your impatience, Priscilla Barielle. This I can swear." His laugh died out, as he realized that maybe she wished that he could do it. Or anyway, her intention behind this challenge all depended on if she wanted him to accomplish it or not. Since for her, the world followed her whim.

Shrugging, he refocused on the girl, who seemingly didn't care about what he just said. Instead, after she realized he had finished his outburst, she simply dashed at him fairly fast, and swung.

Since the term was that he wound out unscated from the sword who could vaporise just anything, he spontaneously exploded his gate and used Gate Overflow. Just like that, he forced his ocean of Mana to sinthetize EC and used it to coat his hand in a thin layer of extreme time dilation.

With it, he blocked the sword. It was forced to go through the time coat, and its forward momentum slowed so much it just seemed to stop dead.

Priscilla's eyes widened a fraction, and with a flourish, she stabbed at his shoulder.

He blocked it again, easily.

She took several steps back, her expression composed as she watched him.

"That makes two. Would you hurry? I still have crowns to steal and a heart to borrow."

Her only answer to his words was a slash of her sword, which sent a roaring wave of white flame at him.

He met it with a wave of his hand and of PoD, and the two canceled each other.

She humphed. "I know when to admit my lost. It seems you are in possession of strange and powerful means, capable of nullifying the power of my sword. However, you are truly delusional if you think up you can accomplish the other tasks..." She paused.

Julian was gone.

"Ah, I finally found you. My lady, why do you have your sword out? Please don't tell me you murdered someone." A man wearing a gladiator outfit entered the alley.

"I did no such thing. However, I met someone that could perhaps prove capable of killing my eternal boredom."

"Pardon my impertinence, but I don't think such a person exist."

"Hm, we will see..." The royal candidate and her subordinate left.

—————

His speed using Gate Overflow to speed himself up along with Yang magic was monstruous. It was fair to say it wasn't bound by the law of physics anymore as countless miles of land passed under him in the blink of an eyes as he flew toward Vollachia. He didn't need directions, having memorized a map of the world back in Roswaal's manor.

It took barely a fraction of a second (in real time), to arrive at the capital and to find the palace, now. Stealing the crown was less easy, but only a bit. The generals were strong, but in Gate Overflow, they could never hope to react to him as he slowed the place in time while speeding himself up.

He had to take two pauses from Gate mode to regenerate his mana to finish his trip outside Lugnica since depending on his use of EC, his reserve would deplete faster or slower, and right now he was draining them like there was no tomororow.

Coming back to Lugnica with two crowns on his head. He wondered for a time how to proceed before shrugging and deciding to simply avoid Reinhardt while he searched the palace. After that, finding Volcanica was not simple at all. And taking his heart even less.

Going to the pleiades watchtower was Dangerous, with a D. He was strong, but Shaula, Reid Astrea and Volcanica were among the strongest of this world. Especially the latter two, who had strength that could crush him like a bug. They literally had feats that made their reaction and attack speed faster than light. With plenty of abilities that could destroy him immediatly, heck, Reid could cut concepts apart.

But at the same time, it was an opportunity. He could learn much from them, especially Reid.

Finding Volcanica and 'borrowing' inside a day would be hard, but not impossible, he just needed to be significantly stronger.

Luckily, he grew stronger with time. And he had just the tool for that. Shame he fucking just tought about it now.

But before doing all of that, better pick up Emilia and go back to the manor.

Things were picking up.

A/N: What's up? Yeah I know, I have no excuse. Anyway, hope you enjoyed he chap. Julian is progressing mad fast, but he's still using his own tool at least. After all, Re-Zero justification for its strongest character is literally plot armor, and that motherfucka can literally scale to anything you throw at him.

Also, yes Priscilla is a bitch. But she'll be Julian's bitch. As always, if there is something that bother you about the chapter, say it in the comment. Or here ->